Bowling Green is hoping to resemble the squad that went on the road and handily defeated Akron and Buffalo two weeks ago, when both teams visit Anderson Arena this weekend.
The Falcons, 11-9 and 4-4 in the Mid-American Conference, face Buffalo (9-13, 1-7) tonight at 7 p.m. BG returns to the court to play Akron (8-12, 3-5) Saturday night at 7 p.m.
During the last meeting with Buffalo the Falcons took the match in three games, highlighted by a .365 hitting percentage. It was much of the same against Akron as BG used offensive precision to take the match in four.
Falcons coach Denise Van De Walle said the team isn’t intimated if they happen to come into the match with a target on their backs.
“We know what we’re supposed to do right now,” she said. “These are two matches that are very important to us, but they’re important to them. That’s the interesting thing … OU [Ohio} has separated themselves at 8-0. Eastern {Michigan} is right there at 7-1. That next clump of teams knows that every match has become critical.”
“You have to bring your A game every time you play,” she continued. “You can’t take a team lightly. That’s exactly when you’ll get beat.”
BG is sitting in third place behind Ohio and Miami in the MAC’s East Division. The Falcons, who were picked to finish fifth in the East during the preseason, are right where they expected to be at the midway point of the conference schedule, according to Van De Walle.
Well, give or take a few wins and losses.
“I think that we’ve done OK,” she said. “We had a big win over Ball State, which was great. We a disappointing loss to Miami an Northern {Illinois} … A disappointing loss to Toledo, a good win over Central {Michigan}, a good win over Akron and Buffalo on the road, and a disappointing loss to Eastern {Michigan}.
“I just think right now … for the team we have and the schedule we’ve had them play early on, this is just about right,” she said. “If we weren’t 4-4, maybe we’d be 5-3.”
Senior Emily Manser said the way the Falcons performed in the first meetings and the fact they’re at home should give the team an advantage going into the matches.
“I think we’re pumped wit what we can do against these two teams,” she said. “It’ll be even more helpful with the fans and the crowd behind us. We definitely have to play our best game to beat these two teams, but I think we can do it.”
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